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Calabar High sparkle at inaugural New York State Int’l Indoors
January 28, 2025
Calabar High School secured three victories at the inaugural New York State International Invitational Indoor meet last weekend at the Ocean Breeze Track and Field Facility in Staten Island.
The meet, the brainchild of Jamaican Olympian quarter-miler Sanjay Ayre, brought together several Jamaican high school athletes to compete against their United States (US) counterparts. Over the two days of competition, five Facility records and five US leading marks were achieved.
Sprint hurdler Shaquane Gordon recorded the first Jamaican win of the meet, claiming the 55m international hurdles in a record-breaking 7.01 seconds, also a new Jamaican high school national record.
The Calabar team of Nickecoy Bramwell, Keano Charles, Gordon and Jamal Stephenson secured the school's second record of the meet by winning the boys' 4x200m relay in 1:26.90.
Calabar's third victory came from Jamal Stephenson, who won the boys' 55m dash in 6.33 seconds. Johan-Ramaldo Smythe of Muschett High School finished fourth in 6.43 seconds.
Muschett High's Shanoya Douglas also shared the spotlight with a win in the girls' 300m, giving Jamaican athletes their fourth victory of the meet. Douglas, the World U20 200m bronze medallist, clocked 37.78 seconds in the event. She later secured second place in the 55m dash in 6.91 seconds behind Lisa Raye of the US' West Warwick High School, who won in 6.74 seconds.
Smythe, after placing fourth in the 55m, returned to take second in the boys' 200m in 21.55 seconds. He was narrowly beaten by Shawn McCallum of George Washington High, who clocked 21.47 seconds.
Two other Jamaicans also achieved top-two finishes at the meet. Sabrina Atkinson of Hydel High placed second in the girls' high jump, while Daniel Wright of Excelsior High secured the runner-up spot in the boys' 400m in 34.17 seconds.
Ayre expressed satisfaction with the athletes' performance.
"I am extremely proud of the achievements of the athletes over the two days of competition. Our objectives were achieved," he said.
"For the first international high school indoor meet held in the United States, the results were excellent," he added. "With so many records broken and personal bests achieved it shows the quality of the meet and bodes well for the future."
